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Poll | 01/28/2009 12:00 am

What habit most disgusts you?

Read more about: Bad Habits, Culture, Pet Peeves

179 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

phyllis Doyle Pepe
I would like an explanation as to why my post was deleted. There was nothing in it to warrant a deletion. The incident between the driver and me was something that highlighted that particular person’s obvious lack of responsibility and uncouthness. Are you telling me we can no longer use that particular word in like circumstances? If so, then perhaps you should also alert some of the Wow founders who themselves have used said word!
By phyllis Doyle Pepe on 01/28/2009 5:04 pm
Maizie James
Phyllis, I’m puzzled. Which post of yours was deleted? Will you clarify? Was the deleted post a reply/response to my post about people who litter?
By Maizie James on 01/28/2009 5:12 pm
phyllis Doyle Pepe
Yes, and I was describing an incident where I was behind a car that threw out a water bottle and a bag and when we both came to a stop light I was beside the car and when the driver looked over at me I shook my finger at him. He then gave me the finger and mouthed the two words that evidently were the reason for the delete. This makes no sense since in this context I am merely reporting.
By phyllis Doyle Pepe on 01/28/2009 5:30 pm
B. Nyce
The post was deleted because of the “f” word. We understand the context in which it was written, but there’s no need to spell it out. I’m sorry, but with all the hatred and anger being used on this site, we are cracking down and deleting all comments which we feel are inappropriate. Sorry to have offended anyone, but things have gotten way out of control. Trust me, you are not the first one to have a comment deleted because of that.
By B. Nyce on 01/28/2009 9:34 pm
%$#@* !@&*^!!
Phyllis….oops…I thought your quote would be ok as in itallics but I guess need to do * for some letters. c’est la vie.
By %$#@* !@&*^!! on 01/28/2009 9:49 pm
%$#@* !@&*^!!
There is a long list including all of the above. From my upbringing, aesthetic nature, and design school I love beauty, order, peace, immaculate, well styled, healthy, and minimalist everything. I’d never have a mate who wasn’t refined, we’d drive each other crazy. The absolute most revolting thing I’ve seen is when men runners/bike riders hold one nostril and then the other and blow their nose into the air. I used to jog every night from 10-11PM around the long rectangle block of Huntington Park/Pacific Union Club on top of Nob Hill across from the Fairmount, Mark Hopkins, Huntington Hotels where I lived. At night it is beautifully lit and all you hear are doorman whistles and the Cable Car bells. I loved it, did it for years, and was friendly with all the doormen who watched for my safety, especially the ones at the Huntington Hotel because I had dinner there often with friends at the Big Four. A man started jogging nightly at the same time. He’d repeatedly do that horrid blow-nose-in-the-air thing. I did a slow burn for two nights, on the third night I waited until we were both across from the Huntington Hotel. I stopped in front of the man, glanced at the doorman DW and back at him so he got the message. Then stated in a tone that made it clear it wasn’t a request or a conversation. “You get a Kleenex, or stop doing that, or go elsewhere, or I will call the police.” He stopped. If an attractive blond yuppie calls the SFPD whatever unsavory man opposes her is toast. I knew he knew that much.
By %$#@* !@&*^!! on 01/28/2009 2:05 am
N P
Carmel by the Sea, What an engaging little story, and what a disgusting habit. I think I have finally found the person who can help me solve my open-mouth-chewing dinner guests dilemma. I am so perplexed by it. All that smack, smack, smacking. I have found myself fingering the tines of my fork, on more than one occasion (yes, more than one occasion - they’re “his” family). It’s been this way for years. Anyway, part of me wants to say, “Help!” and part of me is afraid of what you would say!
By N P on 01/28/2009 4:41 am
%$#@* !@&*^!!
NP, Sheesh….that would drive me beyond insane. Can see why you’d be perplexed….hard position to be in. I haven’t been in the situation except once on a date…and I cut it short and there wasn’t a second one. I’d wait till there is a Dear Margo thread and ask her for advice because family members aren’t a stranger in the street doing something foul. There’s much more at stake, and all families are different of course. I googled to see if there was some good advice and just found a lot of other people saying their in-laws were driving them crazy with the same thing…and they were suffering in silence and didn’t know what to say or do. Only one person had advice ‘earplugs.’ Good luck, hope Margo has a great solution…she seems to know what to do about everything under the sun.
By %$#@* !@&*^!! on 01/28/2009 7:34 am
N P
Carmel, Thank you! Good idea. And you looked for advice for me - How nice of you, Carmel. I’ll ask Margo. Thanks again. Best,
By N P on 01/28/2009 9:54 am
C jay
Chewing mannerisms and even swallowing appear to be totally unconscious, and may indeed be the result of some degree of mal-occlusion. One has to wonder if such people even notice it, themselves, or hear themselves, because they are used to it. We have a family member who is a delightfully well-mannered individual, right down to appropriately sending follow-up notes in long-hand no less (as she was raised to do) but she “chomps” when chewing her food, and pulls her folk over her teeth when removing it from her mouth. It’s loud, and at times shocking, and really grinds on others, so I’m amazed we’ve overlooked it for years. Generally, we would bring something like that up to the person, as a group, but no one has, yet, in this case. (She has quite a temper, though, so perhaps we’ve all quietly decided to chose our battles carefully.)
By C jay on 01/31/2009 11:49 pm
Dona Howlett
I would hope that a small child would be at the table and I could very casually say………Remember sweet heart it’s polite to close your mouth while your chewing your food. I did have this happen to me………an Older child (teenager) constantly chewed with his mouth open and never used a napkin to clean his mouth, his parent just seemed to ignore him……..(it was disgusting)………One night when I was having dinner with them I said quietly to my 3 year old great grandson, “Remember honey to close your mouth when you chew.”…….I tried to be as quiet as possible and no one else seemed to even notice me………..but the teenager had heard and immedietly closed his mouth. This is a distant inlaw……..The kid still has bad table manners, but when I’m there at least he tries to chew with his mouth closed. Don’t know if this helps……….
By Dona Howlett on 02/02/2009 2:30 am
Kryssi K
How is this even a questions? Smoking, i.e. infringing on someone else’s right to breathe fresh air, oxygen, etc. Because it’s harmful to OTHERS, moreso than the actual smoker. Especially people like me who have chronic lung diseases such as ASTHMA (acquired at a disturbingly young age BECAUSE OF second-hand smoke, thankyouVERYmuch) who still deserve to be able to have as much fun as anyone else!!!!!!!!!
By Kryssi K on 01/28/2009 3:36 am
Chrome Toe
Kryssi - i’m with you. i couldn’t even believe smoking was in the same category as… spitting? nail biting? cracking knuckles? are you kidding me? smoking isn’t a disgusting habit. it’s a life threatening one. it kills people for cryin out loud! but i was even more shocked that it got less votes than spitting! there has to be some kind of shakespeare line or other literay line about the ultimate shallowness of human nature…
By Chrome Toe on 01/28/2009 8:17 am
Kryssi K
Really, the only thing that could surprise me anymore is if my species DIDN’T disappoint me.
By Kryssi K on 01/28/2009 6:29 pm
C jay
Same here, CT and Kryssi, with my breathing disorder, healthy lungs bu impaired muscles (Polio) to breathe with, I did not know that was the cause of episodes that would ‘hit” me when I even smell cigarette smoke on someone. I’ve had home health employees show up reeking of cigarette smoke and then I’m the “bad one” when I refuse to let them in my home. Blame the victim reigns in society today. For the life of me, I cannot figure out why a supposedly responsible medical agency would even hire people who were in smoking environments. If you rcall it wasn’t long ago when one had to nearly mask to get in our out of hospital entrances because of the walls of smoke outside the doorways. I truly feel badly for people trying to fight that dependency and it one of those I fret about - there’s a lot of talk, and no walk, in helping people overcome the habit.
By C jay on 02/01/2009 12:16 am